Elevator construction



Fell 1 1955. A. l.. SENN 297m@ ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 27, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l Agn/UE L. SEA/N A 7- rOQ/vf V Feb.. 1, 1955 A. L. SENN ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1955 INVENTOR. I ART/JUE L. 'NN

ULUE

A. L. SENN Feb. 1, 1955 ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION 4 sheets-sheet 5 Filed July 27, 1953 TTOfQ/VEV Feb. 1, 1955 A. l.. SENN ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 27', 1953 4 Sheets-5h66?, 4

INVENToR. LQ/*Hue 4. SLU/wv United States Patent O ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION Arthur L. Senn, Seattle, Wash.

Application July 27, 1953, Serial No. 370,306

8 Claims. (Cl. 187-26) My invention relates to an elevator construction.

Heretofore in elevator constructions that the elevator platform be raised from a lower floor or deck level and flush with the highest iloor or deck level, shoes were lixed to the elevator platform and slidably mounted on the vertical elevator rails. To stabilize the elevator platform, a common construction was to provide a superstructure above the highest floor or level or to provide fixed shoes on the elevator platform and which were slidable on the vertical rails and the said shoes extended above and below the elevator platform. Some elevator installations will not permit the construction above described. It is an object of my invention to provide an elevator structure which will provide some or all of the following features:

(l) There are a plurality of floors or deck levels and it is desired that the elevator platform be permitted to be lowered to substantially the level of the lower floor or deck level.

1 (2) There must be no well or shaft below the lower eve (3) Nothing must project below the platform except conventional bracing and the like.

(4) The elevator must be of a construction so it can be lifted flush with the upper level.

(5) There must be no superstructure above the upper deck level.

(6) The means for raising and lowering the elevator platform must below the upper deck level.

(7) The elevator platform when at the upper level must be supported both above and below the platform.

Another object of my invention is to provide an elevator construction wherein a plurality of vertically alined and vertically spaced apart rails are employed so that I do not have a continuous set of elevator rails from top to bottom in the elevator shaft.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding however, that the invention is notl to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawings,

Figure l represents a fragmentary elevational view, with parts in section of this invention as applied to a construction, such as a refrigerated barge, having three decks or levels;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. l taken substantially on broken line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view, partly in plan and partly in section, and taken substantially on broken line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, with parts broken away, of the construction shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of a modified form of my invention.

In Fig. l of the drawings, plates 1t) and 11 foi'm a tank 12, and upon plate 11 is disposed insulation material 13 which in turn is protected by the plate 14. The parts to 14 inc. are illustrative of one way in which a lower deck or level 14 may be provided.

As illustrative of means to form an intermediate deck higher in elevation than the lower plate or deck 14 there 2,701,032 Patented Feb. 1, 1955 ICC is illustrated a plate 16, insulation material 17, and plate 18 which plate 18 thus forms the upper surface of the intermediate deck or level.

A top deck which is higher in elevation than the deck 16-17-18 is formed from plates 19 and 21 and insulation material 20.

Obviously a plurality of decks or levels may be provided in any usual manner and this invention is not limited as to ,the particular construction which may be employed in providing various decks at different elevations or different platforms or floors at different elevations.

An elevator shaft is provided extending from the upper deck 19-20-21 to the lower deck 11-13-14. As an illustration of suitable track or rail means about the elevator shaft, I have shown four l beams 22 which extend upwardly from the lower deck 11-13-14 to the intermediate deck 16-17-18. As I have shown my invention as applied to a refrigerated ship or barge, it is desired that the hatch opening at the level of the deck 16-1718 be not restricted so as to permit the placing over said hatch of a suitable insulated hatch cover.

Under such a construction as described, the rails 23 are proviled in spaced vertical relation and alined with the rails 22. Thus the I beams 23 do not extend downwardly to the oor 16-17-18 but are located in spaced relation thereto and extend upwardly to the upper deck 19-20-21 and again the upper portions of the I beams as the I beams 23 do not restrict the hatch opening and thus interfere with proper securance of a refrigerated hatch covering at the upper deck.

I-beams are well suited as one flange thereof can be supported by the ship and the other Harige thereof functions as a track or rail for the shoes numbered generally 24. The shoes 24 may be produced as a weldment and comprise an angle iron 25, angle irons 27, and a plate 28 having a projecting track or rail portion 29. The shoes 24 are mounted for sliding movement on the rails 22 and 23. The shoes 24 are long enough to span the space between I beams 22 and 23 and sufliciently long so that the elevator platform 30 will be supported when the shoes 24 are sliding on I beams 22, on I beams 23, or on portions of both.

The elevator platform 30 carries at each of its four corners a shoe or guide 26 which mates with the projecting track portion 29 of the shoes 24. Thus the shoes 24 are mounted for relative sliding movement as respects the tracks or I beams 22 and 23 and in turn the elevator platform 30 is mounted for relative sliding movement as respects the shoes 24.

As illustrative of power means for the elevator cables, there is shown electric motor 31, gear reduction means 32, cross shafts 33 and 34, and bevel gear means 35 and 36' which interconnect respectively shafts 33 and 35 and shafts 34 and 36. By this construction a power driven cable drum 37 is disposed at each of the four corners of the elevator shaft, below the deck 19-2021 and adjacent an I beam 23. The cables may be driven by other means than shown and obviously sheaves may replace driven drums 37. Thus driven cables may leave sheaves instead of leaving drums 37 and the power to drive said driven cables, may be, for example, an electric motor suitably mechanically disposed relative to said sheaves.

As the construction at any one of the four power driven drums 37 is functionally the same, a description of only one thereof will be now set forth. Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, a driven cable extends downwardly from the drum 37 and the portion thereof extending downwardly is numbered 38. Thence the cable continues and the portion thereof which extends downwardly to and about a sheave 40 is numbered 39. Then the cable extends upwardly and the portion thereof which passes around sheave 42 is numbered 41. Thence the cable extends downwardly and the portion thereof which passes through a suitable guide 26 carried by the elevator platform is numbered 43. Thence the said cable is secured to the elevator platform and the means for securing the said cable to the elevator platform is numbered 44.

If the elevator is in the lowermost position as indicated by full lines in Figs. l and 4 the parts are functioning normally and power is applied on the drums 37,

the first action will be to move the elevator platform 30 upwardly relative to the shoes 24 and the shoes 24 will remain substantially stationary until the guide 26 carried by the elevator platform 30 engages stops 45 carried by the shoes 24. The construction indicated permits shoes 24 to fleet back and forth on lines or cables such as cables 38-39-41-43, as a balanced construction is involved and this fleeting back and forth can be accomplished without changing the lengths of the lines or cables involved. Also there is no strain exerted by the cables 38--39-41-43, when not in motion, which tends to cause the shoes 24 to move unless friction between guides 26 and rails 29 obtains.

Upon further movement of the cables 38--39-41--43, platform 39 and shoes 24 continue to rise. As the rails 22 and 23 are alined longitudinally, the shoes 24 will pass from the rails 22 to the rails 23. As previously indicated, the shoes 24 are sufficiently long to span the gap between the rails 22 and 23. When the elevator platform 30 reaches its highest vertical position shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. l, there will be sufficient length of shoes 24 above the deck 19-20--21 so that the elevator will be supported by the shoes and rails when it is flush or at the desired elevation relative to the upper deck 19-20-21. Suitable safety limit switches and mechanical stops will be provided so as to prevent the elevator from reaching too high an elevation. As standard elevator controls form no part of the present invention, the control mechanism for the motor 31 and safety mechanism for the elevator platform which are conventionally used with elevators are not illustrated or described. However, stop means are provided to prevent shoes 24 from traveling to too high an elevation after the elevator platform 30 has reached its maximum elevation. As illustrative thereof, I have shown lugs 47 carried by shoes 24 and stops 48 carried by I beams 23. The shoes 24 may stick to the elevator platform guide means and it is essential that the lower sheave 40 remains below the drum 37.

As the elevator descends by paying out cable from the drums 37, the elevator platform 30 and shoes 24 will move downwardly until stops 46 carried by shoes 24 engage lower deck 14 or suitable stops carried thereby. Thereafter the platform may be lowered relatively as respects the shoes 24 until the elevator platform 30 engages stops 46 on shoes 24 and then shoes 24 and elevator platform 30 will assume the position shown by full lines in Figs. l and 4 of the drawings.

It is obvious that in the construction shown in Fig. 4, that I could employ two top sheaves and two bottom sheaves and reeve the cable first around one bottom sheave, thence up and around a top sheave, thence downwardly and around a bottom sheave, and thence upwardly and around a top sheave, and thence to the elevator platform. However, as such a construction will not functionally improve the device, the same has not been illustrated nor described in detail.

Referring now to the modification of my invention shown in Fig. of the drawings, all of the parts which are similar to the parts disclosed in Fig. 4 of the drawings are given the same numbers. The parts so numbered will not be described as their function will be obvious. In addition, the bracket 49 is supported by the elevator platform 30 and is slidable on rail 29 similar to guide shoe 26 of Fig. 4. A sheave 50 is journaled in said bracket 49. The cable portion 41 extends over the sheave 42 and continues and the cable portion 51 extends downwardly and around the sheave 50 and the cable continues and the portion 52 thereof extends upwardly and is connected to the shoe 24 as by connector means 53.

In the construction just described, the shoes 24 cannot fleet back and forth on the lines or cables (as was described in connection with the construction of Fig. 4) and there is always a direct pull urging the elevator platform 30 upwardly relative to the shoes 24 when the cables on the drums 37 are carrying the load. Thus by the relative pull exerted by the elevator platform 30 and the shoes 24, the elevator platform 30 is moved upwardly relative to the shoes 24 until the stops 45 engage with matching stops (bracket) carried by the elevator platform 30. Such a construction positively insures against over-travel of the shoes 24 at the level of the upper deck 19-20-2L as the shoes are u rged relatively downwardly and the elevator platform 1s urged relatively upwardly against the stops 45 carried by the shoes 24. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, I illustrated the lugs 47 on the shoes 24 and the stops 48 on the I-beams to limit over-travel of the shoes 24 in case of friction or the like. In Fig. 5 I have illustrated positive means so that powerV is applied to prevent such over-travel.

Another advantage of the construction illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings is that when the elevator platform is at its lowermost level, the cable portions 51 and 52 provide a bite in the line and the sheave 50 is in said bite. Thus until a bracket 49 or other suitable flange means carried by the elevator 30 engages a stop 45 carried by a shoe 24, the elevator platform 30 moves at a slower speed which is half its normal speed. After such engagement, however, the elevator will move at full speed. Thus the construction provides for slow starting when the elevator platform 30 is at the bottom and slow stopping as the elevator platform 30 approaches the bottom.

By the constructions just described, the motors 31 and the drums 37 may be placed below the deck 19-20-21 and the elevator platform raised ush with the top of said deck. Also the elevator platform 30 may be lowered to rest on a suitable deck as deck 11-13--14 and at the same time no pit is needed. When said elevator 30 is resting on the deck 11-13--14, the shoes 24 do not project below the bottom of the platform of the elevator.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided in an elevator construction for a structure having an elevator and a plurality of floors or decks, which construction comprises fixed vertical rails as a flange of an I beam. Also I have provided for shoes as shoes 24 which are slidable on the rails. Next the shoes 24 are slidable relative to the elevator platform. The shoes are provided with vertically spaced sheaves and a driven cable extends downwardly and about the lowermost sheave thence upwardly and about the upper sheave and thence downwardly and is secured to the elevator platform.

Obviously changes may be made in the forms, dimensions and arrangements of the parts of my invention without departing from the principle thereof, the foregoing setting forth preferred forms of embodiment of my invention.

I claim:

l. An elevator construction for a structure having an elevator shaft and a plurality of floors or deck levels comprising a plurality of fixed vertical rails disposed at marginal portions of said shaft; shoes slidably mounted on said rails; an elevator platform structure slidably mounted on said shoes; first sheave means carried by each shoe; second sheave means carried by each shoe and at a higher elevation than said first sheave means; and driven cable means extending downwardly and reeved about said first sheave means, thence upwardly and around said second sheave means, and thence downwardly and operatively connected in power lifting relation with said elevator platform structure.

2. An elevator construction for a structure having an elevator shaft and a plurality of floors or deck levels comprising a plurality of fixed vertical rails disposed at marginal portions of said shaft; shoes slidably mounted on said rails; an elevator platform structure slidably mounted on said shoes; first sheave means carried by each shoe; second sheave means carried by each shoe and at a higher elevation than said first sheave means; driven cable means extending downwardly and reeved about said first sheave means, thence upwardly and around said second sheave means, and thence downwardly and secured to said elevator platform structure; and cable supporting means supporting the highest portion of said cable at an elevation below the highest level to which said elevator platform structure is to be moved.

3. An elevator construction for a structure having an elevator shaft and a plurality of floors or deck levels comprising a plurality of fixed vertical rails disposed at marginal portions of said shaft; shoes slidably mounted on said rails; an elevator platform structure slidably mounted on said shoes; stop means operating between said shoes and said elevator platform structure limiting relative sliding movement therebetween; first sheave means carried by each shoe; second sheave means carried by each shoe and at a higher elevation than said first sheave means; and driven cable means extending downwardly and reeved about said first sheave means, thence upwardly and around said second sheave means, and thence downwardly and secured to said elevator platform structure.

4. An elevator construction for a structure having an elevator shaft and a plurality of floors or deck levels comprising a plurality of first fixed vertical rails disposed at marginal portions of said shaft; a plurality of second fixed vertical rails vertically spaced and alined with said first fixed Vertical rails; shoes slidably mounted on said rails and of a length substantially greater than said vertical spacing between the first and second fixed rails; an elevator platform structure slidably mounted on said shoes; first sheave means carried by each shoe; second sheave means carried by each shoe and at a higher elevation than said first sheave means; and driven cable means extending downwardly and reeved about said first sheave means, thence upwardly and around said second sheave means, and thence downwardly and secured to said elevator platform structure.

5. An elevator construction for a structure having an elevator shaft and a plurality of floors or deck levels comprising a plurality of fixed vertical rails disposed at marginal portions of said shaft; shoes slidably mounted on said rails, each of said shoes carrying a projecting rails; an elevator platform structure slidably mounted on the projecting rails of said shoes; stop means operating be-tween said shoes and said elevator platform structure limiting relative sliding movement therebetween; first sheave means carried by each shoe; second sheave means carried by each shoe and at a higher elevation than said first sheave means; and driven cable means extending downwardly and reeved about said first sheave means, thence upwardly and around said second sheave means, and thence downwardly and secured to said elevator platform structure.

6. An elevator construction for a structure having an elevator shaft and a plurality of floors or deck levels comprising a plurality of fixed vertical rails disposed at marginal portions of said shaft; shoes slidably mounted on said rails; an elevator platform structure slidably mounted on said shoes; first sheave means carried by each shoe; second sheave means carried by each shoe and at a higher elevation than said first sheave means;

driven cable means extending downwardly and reeved about said first sheave means, thence upwardly and around said second sheave means; and thence downwardly and secured to said elevator platform structure, and stop means limiting upward travel of said shoes above a predetermined level.

7. An elevator construction for a structure having an elevator shaft and a plurality of floors or deck levels comprising a plurality of fixed vertical rails disposed at marginal portions of said shaft; shoes slidably mounted on said rails; an elevator platform structure slidably mounted on said shoes; first sheave means carried by each shoe; second sheave means carried by each shoe and at a higher elevation than said first sheave means; and driven cable means extending downwardly and reeved about said first sheave means, thence upwardly and around said second sheave means, and thence downwardly and directly secured to said elevator platform structure.

8. An elevator construction for a structure having an elevator shaft and a plurality of floors. or deck levels comprising a plurality of fixed vertical rails disposed at marginal portions of said shaft; shoes slidably mounted on said rails; an elevator platform structure slidably mounted on said shoes; first sheave means carried by each shoe; second sheave means carried by each shoe and at a higher elevation than said first sheave means; third sheave means carried by said elevator platform and alined with said second sheave means; and driven cable means extending downwardly and reeved about said first sheave means, thence upwardly and around said second sheave means, thence downwardly and around said third sheave means, and thence upwardly and secured to said shoe; and stop means carried partly by said shoe and partly by said elevator platform structure limiting upward movement of said elevator platform structure relative to said shoe.

No references cited. 

